Chapter 48
News reached the Edel Duke’s mansion that Severian himself had beheaded the chief of the southern barbarian tribes.
Along with this news, it was also reported that he had returned a completely changed man, with a new, ruthless demeanor.
He had become so cruel that he could decapitate a person’s head without hesitation, as easily as cutting through clay.
With the news, an invitation to a victory banquet arrived from the imperial palace.
It was an invitation sent personally by Severian.
Cheshion sensed something suspicious and immediately rushed to the bamboo forest.
“Mori, doesn’t this seem odd? What’s with this overly restrained invitation? Did he mature in the battlefield? Look at this. Something’s off.”
“Like you said, he probably matured in the battlefield.”
Gremory, having woken up from a nap, answered lazily while rolling on the bed.
“There’s one more thing that’s strange. Invitations were also sent to you and Isollen. He specifically requested that both of you come.”
“That shouldn’t be odd, should it? Isollen and I attended a royal banquet before.”
“That’s true, but typically, invitations are not sent directly to the maids.”
“You should ask Isollen about this. I’m not really familiar with human affairs.”
“…Yeah.”
The bamboo forest closed for business.
The reason was simply that Cheshion couldn’t be bothered.
Not finding a satisfactory solution, Cheshion grumbled as he left.
He went to Isollen as well but didn’t find anything useful.
That night, Gremory, who had been keeping an eye on Cheshion’s words, rose from her bed.
‘The Crown Prince suddenly changed that much? And then, he even ordered the black-haired maids to be brought along? Something’s definitely odd.’
Gremory sat by the window and let her pupils glow red.
She then connected her vision with a crow flying outside.
The crow flew to the Imperial Prince’s palace and perched on a tree branch in front of the bedroom window.
Inside the Prince’s bedroom, Severian was speaking to someone.
“I really thought I was going to die, but strangely, my body just moved on its own. I slashed through all the barbarians that charged at me. I didn’t realize it at the time, but now that I think about it, it’s kind of scary. Hehe…”
“And guess what! Everyone is recognizing me! Cheshion, that guy, he only chased away the northern barbarians, but he couldn’t even behead their chief. I did what Cheshion couldn’t do!”
“My father recognized me too! The curfew was lifted! Now, even the four great dukes will invite me to their parties, right?”
It was strange.
Severian’s voice continued, but no matter how hard Gremory looked, there was no one else in the room.
It looked like a madman talking to himself in the air.
‘Did some ability related to combat suddenly awaken in him on the battlefield? But if that were the case, why would he be boasting in the air? Just to have someone to talk to?’
That seemed to be the most likely explanation.
Watching him prattle on like a student in the academy, it was clear that there hadn’t been any real change in him.
It made sense why he sent invitations to the maids at the Duke’s mansion.
He probably just wanted to boast about his achievements.
Gremory was about to disconnect from the crow’s vision when, at that moment, she felt a chilling presence from Severian’s side.
‘A witch!’
The moment she realized it, the figure of the hidden witch began to reveal itself slowly.
It was the high-level witch, Ophensia.
‘Damn. She’s a witch specialized in stealth. She’s so inconspicuous that I didn’t even realize she had been summoned to the human realm.’
Before Ophensia could detect her presence, Gremory quickly cut the connection with the crow.
‘So the Crown Prince wiped out the barbarians with the witch’s power. But why is he inviting me and Isollen to the victory banquet? Could he be plotting something with the witch against me?’
As Gremory tossed and turned in bed, Iris, who had been trying to nap on the sofa, asked her.
-
Mori, is something troubling you…?
“Snore.”
Gremory slept soundly. The tossing and turning was just her trying to find a more comfortable position. A high-level witch and a foolish Crown Prince weren’t even remotely scary. If they tried something, she would respond accordingly.
Before boarding the carriage to the Imperial Palace, Gremory placed a transparent restraint collar around Alice’s neck.
“Ow, I told you I can’t go to the demon realm with this on!”
“Just until we get back from the palace.”
Alice grumbled as she went off to do some laundry.
The Edel Duke’s carriage set off. Passing familiar scenery and the splendid Imperial Palace, they soon arrived at the banquet hall.
This banquet hall was even more extravagantly decorated than the last royal one. And then…
“…You’re here.”
Severian, sitting cross-legged at the high table, greeted them with an expressionless face.
Cheshion responded in the same emotionless manner.
“Quite an impressive accomplishment you’ve made. Congratulations.”
“The day I receive compliments from you, I must say, thank you. And you, the one next to him. Your name was ‘Mori,’ wasn’t it?”
“It is an honor to meet the sun of the Empire.”
Gremory, following what she had learned from Isollen, gave a formal greeting and observed Severian’s energy. Behind him, she could sense the presence of something invisible. Ophensia, hiding her presence to the best of her ability, was faintly visible to Gremory’s trained eyes.
Isollen, standing beside her, also bowed.
“It is an honor to meet the sun of the Empire.”
“Ah, yes. Mori. I’ve thought about your confession. How about you seduce me tonight?”
Severian ignored Isollen and provoked Mori, more specifically, Cheshion, who stood beside her.
“Please, Crown Prince, hold back. If you keep getting arrogant after one victory, your reputation in the social circles will fall back down.”
“Thank you for the advice. Hm. Everyone must be here by now.”
Severian slowly surveyed the inside of the banquet hall. He then raised his hand, signaling the orchestra to stop playing.
The banquet hall was immediately filled with silence. Severian, in an uncharacteristically serious tone, addressed everyone.
“As the Crown Prince of the Brilliant Empire, there’s something I must say regarding the horrifying information I received from the battlefield.”
Severian’s voice felt like that of a different person. Cheshion stepped back, sensing the change in the atmosphere.
Gremory’s eyes saw it. A faint, shadowy figure of a black-haired woman standing behind Severian, directing something.
“The southern barbarians were serving black magic. The barbarians I fought against were all using black magic, enhancing their bodies to gain inhuman strength.”
The banquet hall buzzed with uneasy whispers at the ominous words. It was only brief, though, as Severian’s cold eyes quickly silenced the crowd.
“Before the barbarian chief died, he said something interesting. He said the Brilliant Empire was too insignificant to despise black magic, but someone else was doing something even worse.”
At that moment, Severian and Cheshion’s eyes met.
“Cheshion Edel Duke. You have an impressive record of easily suppressing the great dragon.”
“That’s correct.”
“The great dragon, known as the most powerful monster on the continent, how did you manage to defeat it so easily, in just one day? Could you tell me how you did it?”
“…Are you suspecting that I used black magic?”
“You’re too virtuous to use black magic. Ah, no. You wouldn’t need to use black magic to stain your hands. You could just use witches.”
“Such strange talk. How could I use witches who don’t even exist in this world?”
“No, witches do exist. I heard this clearly from the barbarian chief, who used black magic to see through the world. He also said that all the witches of the Brilliant Empire are gathered in the Duke Edel’s mansion.”
The banquet hall was filled with whispers again. The nobles muttered as they looked at Cheshion’s black-haired maids.
“Why is the conversation suddenly going this way?”
“Did the Duke not save the victims of the witch hunts, but instead gather witches to grow stronger…?”
“Could it be that the reason he banned witch hunts was to protect his own witches…?”
“Quiet.”
With a single word from Severian, the room fell silent again. A chilling energy emanated from him as he grinned.
“Seems like many are curious. In that case, let’s find out right here. Cheshion Edel Duke, why did you oppose the witch hunts, and are the two maids behind you ordinary humans?”
“…!”
“Cheshion Edel Duke, you’ve been pretending to be virtuous while scheming behind the scenes. Your fate ends here.”
Severian signaled the chamberlain, who brought forward two cups of yellowish liquid.
“This is Rilkana tea, known to kill witches through seduction. Duke Cheshion Edel’s maids, drink this at once.”
